Automatic control means for quenching coke



Dec. 11, 1928.

c. HYMAN AUTOMATIC CONTROLMEANS FbIYQUENOHING 00x2 Filed Jan. 7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 11,. 1928.- 1,695,105

c. HYMAN AL ITOMATIC CONTROL MEANS FOR QUENCHING COKE Filed Jan. 7, 1924 2v Sheets-Sheet 2 N hf/872 467? Patented Dec. 11,1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT EOFFLICE.

CHARLES HYMAN, or GARY, mninim.

AUTOMATIC ooN'rItoL Mums ron ounnonme COKE.

Application filed January 7, 1924. Serial No. 684,872.

My invention relates 'to automatic control means for quenching coke and has particular reference to an automatic control which.

performs the function of controlling the quantity of water which is sprayed upon the coke after it is taken from the'oven, or

controlling the length of time-the coke is subjected to the quenching operation.

A further object'of my invention is the provision of means which automatically controls the quantity of water supplied to a car of coke during a'quenching operation,- regardless ofthe pressure. of the water, its height in the .standpipe or the like.

These and other objects of my invention will be further and better understood. by reference to the accompanying sheet of Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of my invention; and

Figure 5 is a wiring diagramplaced convenient to Figure 4 for tracing the electrical to the floor of the house 20 in any approved circuits which operate the device..- I

Referring now specifically to the drawings, a-standpipe is shown having a main 11 leading therefromto a quenching house 12, with a spraying arrangement 13 mounted thereon over a car 14 used to contain the coke after it hasbeen removed from the ovens. A master valve "115 is provided, which is controlled by a pilot valve 16, the

,saidvalve 15 having a pipe 17 leading from said pilot valve 16 to the master valve 15, with another water pipe 18 leading from the upper side of said pilot valve 16 to the main valve 15 and by means of which said master valve 1'51is opened and closed. Thesaid pilot valve 16 has a water supply pipe '19 leading from the main 11 and through which water is supplied through pipes 17 and '18 to the master valve during the opera tion of the quenching apparatus.

All of the above described elements are old in the art and my invention has to do particularly. with the control of the water flow through the master valve 15 to the quenching car 14. house 20 is provided within which is positioned a casing '21 having a solenoid 22mounted therein and having its core associated with the upper end I of a connecting rod 23 which is connected to the pilot valve 16, by means of which the master valve 15 is'controlled. Connected to the rod 23 is a lever 24 having a plurality of holes 25.-2 5 therein, within which a pin 26 is inserted, the said pin being'secured to' the side of the casing '21 in any approved manner and may be positioned in any one movement of the 'lever. arm 24 about the fulcrum point 26. A vertical container 27 is provided having an inlet pipe 28 secured at the upper portion thereof with a valve which controls the rateat which water is delivered to the container 27. At the lower end of the container 27 is an outlet, pipe controlled by a valve 36 having an arm 37 secured thereto and to which the cable 31 is fastened at its'lower end. A spring 38 isprovided which is secured at its lower end of the holes 25. to change the amount of manner and which has the efi'e'ct of closing the valve 29 and opening the valve 36 when the solenoid 22 is de-energized, as will be more particularly described hereinafter.

Mounted in the container 27' is a float 39 upon. a guide rod 40, having av stop 41 mounted upon said guide at its lower portion, the said float 39 having an upwardly extending member 42 projecting upward therefrom and through the top of the container 27. A pair of arms 43 and 44extend upward from said container with a crossmember 45 extending thereacross and through which an adjusting screw 46 is positioned having a lock nut 47 thereon so that the screw 46 may belocked in any predetermined position. Slidably mounted upon the rod 40 is a conductor 48 which in normal closed position of the circuit rests'upon between and lift the'conductor 48 out of engagement therewith and thereby breaking the circuit to a solenoid mounted on the clapper board as-hereinafter described. At the u per end of the plate 45 is a recording cylin er50 witha rod 51 secured to the float 39 at its lower-end and extend upward' alongside of the cylinder 50, with a record- 111 needle 52 thereon, the said cylinder being rotated by any suitable clock mechanism (not shown) such as common in thesedevices.

Referrin now specifically to the wiring I V diagram (Eigure 3), an. operating switch A is shown which when closed with contact point B, closes the circuit to the clapper solenoid C through the contactor 48 and contact points H and G.- As soon as the clapper solenoid C. isenergized, the con tactors L are closed against the contacts I and J, closing the circuit to the solenoid 22,

thereby energizing the solenoid causing it to open the pilot valve 16, which in turn opens the master valve allowing the water to flow through to the spraying arrangement 13. The clapper solenoid C also closes the contactor D with the'contact points F and E,,thus closing this circuit through the contact points H and G and contactor 48. The operator in the meantime has brokenthe contact A with the contact B, so that the circuit is complete through the, solenoid (1,

contact points F and E throu h contactor D, and also H and G through the contactor 48 and also through the contact oints I and and J by proper spring pressure mechanism common in devices of this character. The orifice in the member 34 which has been previously adjusted to apredetermined size depending upon the pressure of the water from the source of water supply, controls the quantity of water flowing into the container 27 in a predetermined length of time and which, as the container fills with water, raises the float 39 with its stem 42 until the contact member 48 is lifted from the contact points H and G thus breaking the circuit to the clapper solenoid C deenergizing this solenoid and by proper spring pressure causing it to lift the contact member D from the points F and E, thus opening the circuit to the solenoid 22 which,

when de-energizedand by gravity, closes the pilot valve 16 whichin turn stops the flow of water through the main 11 by closing the master valve 15."'At the same time the outlet valve 36 leading into the container 27 is open, the inlet valve 29 is closed bv the the cycle of spring 38, the water in the container 27 drains out through the discharge pipe 35, the float 39 is lowered bringing the contact member 48 down upon the contact points 11 and G whereupon the circuit is closed to the clapper solenoid C, the contact member D is again brought into contact with the points F and E, thesolenoid 22 isonergized and o eration is repeated as long as the switch K is kept closed.

It will be understood that quenching cars are usually pulled through the quenching station and the interval of time which lapses while the water from the container 41 is drainin is suflicient to allow the car to be pulled from under the quenching station and another car to .be spotted under the spray pipe 13. When it is desired to stop the operation of the apparatus for a considerable length of time-the operator opens the switch A thus opening the circuitleading to the clapper solenoid E and causing the apparatusto discontinue its operation.

If for any reason the operator desires to operate the quenching apparatus by hand the switch A is brought into contact with the point B thus energizing. the clapper solenoid C and opening the pilot valve as long as the circuit through the clapper solenoid C is kept closed. When it is deslred to stop the sprinkling operation the switch A- is opened thus stopping the How of water through'the main to the quenching station.

It will thus be understood that the quan tity of liquid which passes through the device .is. controlled by the rate offlow of the water which passes through the orifice in themember 34 'into the container 27 and that rate of flow of water is dependent upon the pressure in the standpipe 10. If the pressure in the pipe is low itwill takea longer time to raise the float 3-9 and operatethe switch 48 and therefore the flow of water to the quench-' ing car 14 will be continued for a longer period of time than if the pressure in the standpipe is high, thereby forcing .the container 27 to fill quickly, so that in any-case the quantity quenching car is controlled by controlling the size of the orifice in the member 34 connected tothe supply pipe 28 leading to the container 27. The recording needle 52 makes a record upon the cylinder 50 of each time the float 39 is raised, so that item be determined with accuracy as to how often during any given period of time the device is operated thus enabling the operator of the plant to determine the number of times the device is operated in any given period of time. I

,In Figure 4 is illustrated a modified form of the device in which a vertical open container 53, having a pipe 54 leading therefrom, which is connected to the supply pipe 28 with the member 34 and having a water of water delivered to the an inlet pipe 57 extending into the container.

supply pipe 55 leading to aivalve 56, with the valve 56 being controlled by a float 58 secured upon an arm 59, in the usual manner.

It will be noted that vthis device serves to I maintain-a constant level in the container 53 and when it is desired to operate the device theyoperator closes the olectricalcircuits in the same manneras heretofore described,

- which has-the eflectof draining the water usual manner.

from the container 27 and opening the valve 29. 'Thereupon the water 'commences to flow from the container 53 at a predetermined rate of flow, depending upon the size of the orifice in the member 34, and continues until the float39 is raised to a point where it will break the contact between the points H and G, causing a tie-energizing of the solenoid and the closing of the valve 29 and opening of the outlet valve 36, so that the movement of the rod 23'controls the pilot valve 16 and through it the flow of water through the master valve 15 in the This latter device is to control the length of time'the water isallovved t o flow on to the coke for quenching purposes, and is particularly adapted to plants Where the water pressure is not constant and wherein it has been determined by calculations previously made as to the length of time required to quench a car of coke.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction, I do notwish to be understood as limiting myself thereto as I contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and substitution of equivalents as circumstances may occur or render expedient, without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

I claimz' t 1. The comb1nat1on wlth a Water mam having a master valve, of a pilot valve havmeans actuated by the float for controlling the switch,

2. In a device of the character described, the comblnatlon of a Water mam havmg a master valve, a pilot valve having an inlet connection with the main and outlet connections leading to opposite sides ofthe master valve, asolenoid connected to the pilot valve, a float chamber, supply and outlet valves for the float chamber, means ac v tuated by the solenoid for alternately opening and closing the valves, ot the float.chamher, a float in the float chamber, means for supplying liquid at a constant rate to said float chamber, a switch for controlling the solenoid, and means actuated by the float for controllin the switch.

-Signed at ary, Indiana, vthis 13th of December, 1923. r v

. CHARLES HYMAN.

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